Bulldogs golfers go from worst to best performance

Moffat County High School sophomore Casey Nations hits from the Yampa Valley Golf Course driving range this summer. Nations shot a career-best 87 at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction Tuesday and has emerged as the Bulldogs' top player.

After a disappointing tournament, the Moffat County High School boys golf team righted the ship and delivered its best performance of the year.

Head coach Casey Kilpatrick said his team's performance Tuesday at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction was the worst it has been all season.

"Tuesday was awful," Kilpatrick said. "It was an abomination. It was really an embarrassment, the scores the kids put up. We had two kids shoot in the 140s and as a varsity golfer that should never happen."

Kilpatrick said the scores were a product of bad shots early putting negative thoughts into the heads of his players, which "infected" everything else they did on the course that day.

There was a bright spot for the team at Tiara Rado, however, in the form of sophomore Casey Nations, who shot a personal-best 87.

"The fact that he's making such tremendous strides in his game is really encouraging," Kilpatrick said.

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A frustrated Kilpatrick said he spoke with his players at length after the tournament Tuesday.

"We had a good talk about it Tuesday and we decided we were going to forget about what happened, chalk it up to whatever and just do better," he said. "And they did."

At a Wednesday tournament at Devil's Thumb Golf Club in Delta, Bulldogs golfers shook off their poor play and posted the best team score of the season.

The top three golfers score for each team, and Moffat County's 300 was its lowest of the year.

"300 isn't close to winning anything, but it's the best score we've posted, so I was happy that the kids took what we talked about to heart and completely turned around their games," Kilpatrick said.

Nations has shown significant improvement this season, and has become the team's top player in just a couple weeks.

"I've worked hard to improve, so it feels good (to shoot well)," Nations said. "I've just putted really good and just tried to play it safe."

Up next for the Bulldogs golf team is their home meet Sept. 5 at Yampa Valley Golf Course. In a meet where the varsity players figure to have more experience with the holes they are playing, Nations has a simple goal.